Havre Trails celebrates $15,000 state grant for work on park

Gov. Steve Bullock was on hand for a check-passing ceremony Friday at U.S. Bank Park in Havre.

Havre Trails, an organization dedicated to maintaining, promoting and expanding local trails, was presented with $15,000 as part of the Recreational Trails Program Grant.

Chas Van Genderen, administrator for Montana State Parks who was also present for the ceremony, said the money comes from revenue accrued from the motor fuel excise tax.

He said that in 23 years 990 grants totaling $19 million have been awarded through the program to develop and maintain trails on local, state, tribal and federal lands.

Havre Trails will use the money for the renovation of a the three-quarters of a mile looping trail on the 20 acre city-owned lot behind U.S. Bank Park.

In his remarks to a small crowd at the ceremony, Bullock said that Montana's public lands and outdoor recreation are crucial to the state's economy, generating $5.8 billion in consumer spending.

"As we have those opportunities, we have to creatively figure out ways that we can partner," he said. "We need to ensure that as traffic increases and demand increases we can take care of our state parks, our trails, our rivers and our streams."

Lindsey Bennett, president of Havre Trails, said they chose to concentrate efforts on this trail because it is close to both the Montana State University-Northern campus and residential areas on and around 11th Street and sits adjacent to the county cemetery.

"Once you get up on the trail in the back on the north side there you can see the Bear Paws clearly, it's beautiful," Bennett said. "You can see Saddle Butte, beautiful sunsets and sunrises, so this was a prime spot."

Bennett said the trail has long been in existence but has become more overgrown with vegetation and water has collected in one area where the trail slopes down, making the walk difficult.

She said a culvert has been installed in that section of the trail to provide drainage and help remedy the situation.

Baltrusch Construction Co. of Havre will be laying a bed of gravel on the trail.

The trail will also be redirected to a new second trailhead along 11th Street.

Bennett said the trail now leads onto a piece of privately owned property, a situation that will be resolved by the changes.  

At least three benches will be added along the trail..

Aylan Pratt of Boy Scout Troop 1438 will work to build a kiosk, benches, a trail sign, some tables and garbage cans at the new trailhead, The existing trailhead will also have a kiosk along with a sign created by Havre High School Industrial Arts students.

Bennett said it is not yet known how much the total price tag will be, because it is dependent on when the project will get done, something that is dependent on the weather.

Bennett said that the project has received financial and in-kind contributions from the city of Havre and several other local organizations.  

"We've just had so much support, and we are excited about all the people who have come out to contribute to what we are doing," Bennett said.